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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27524986">Brand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/madswithhands/pseuds/madswithhands'>madswithhands</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers Generation One</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Light Angst, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 05:54:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27524986</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/madswithhands/pseuds/madswithhands</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hot Rod opticed the brand on Deadlocks chest as the other lightly recharged. He knew he couldn't move too much unless he woke the other, but Hot Rod slowly reached out and traced the purple brand lightly.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Drift | Deadlock/Hot Rod</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>HotLock Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Brand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day 4: Brand</p><p>Beta'd by the lovely Cieltee</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was rare for the two to spend the night with one another.</p><p>Usually Hot Rod was called away immediately, or Deadlock was on a time crunch. Their time together was often just a few words, a quick frag and only a forehead press before the Decepticon would drive off at a speed Hot Rod could hope to match one day. </p><p>Of course Hot Rod could match it, but he knew from experience that Deadlock would more than likely ram into him to get him to stop, before tackling him out of alt-mode. It would send the two of them spinning and possibly end in interface again, leaving the Autobot steaming as Deadlock chuckled and sped off again.<br/>And while that was all fine and good, Hot Rod still internally kicked himself as he had to drag himself back to base, and avoid optic contact with Ratchet as the older medic got the (suspicious) dents out of him. </p><p>Hot Rod really hoped that First Aid was on shift tonight. </p><p>But as he laid out beside the Decepticon, Hot Rod slowly reached out and traced the purple brand lightly; remembering when Megatron had tried to recruit him, and if he had agreed to it. </p><p>Hot Rod knew, hypothetically, that he wouldn't have met Deadlock right off the bat. Deadlock would probably have been higher in rank by then, scaring off anyone who looked at him wrong and bruised the ones that kept the optic contact. <br/>Hot Rod wouldn't have been all that different from the other recruits, just one bright color amongst the grey. </p><p>And Deadlock would have never seen him.</p><p>Holding in a sigh, Hot Rod shifted closer to the Decepticon, shuttering his optics closed. </p><p>Deadlock smelt of fusion cells and smoke, a hint of dried energon in the mix. It smelt like...a home. Not Hot Rods' home...but a home away from home. And as confusing as that was to him, Hot Rod dared not speak a word of it to Deadlock. <br/>The Decepticon would leave him in the dust, because Deadlock had already made it clear he wasn't for such emotions. <br/>And Hot Rod did not want to lose him, Primus he didn't. </p><p>He didn't want to lose this warmth. The arm around his waist. The smell of burned energon and smoke. </p><p>He had already lost so much. Hot Rod is tired of losing. </p><p>Just as he curled tighter to Deadlocks' side, the Decepticon stirred awake; possibly by the small Autobots' fretting. <br/>"You're thinkin' too hard, Rod." Deadlock slurred, red optics shuttering as he tugged the other onto his chassis. "Whatever it is, it can wait til you leave." Deadlock mumbled, wrapping both his arms around the Autobot.</p><p>Hot Rod quickly shuttered his optics, keeping his engine calm as he tried to let recharge take him.</p><p>Deadlock was right,after all. </p><p>These thoughts could wait another day.</p>
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